As the sun set a scout came rushing towards the commanders as they sat, sharpening their weapons and checking their armor.

“Lord Draxz, there is movement from both wolves. They are growing in number and it looks like their attack will be soon.” Draxz nodded and the scout took his leave.

“Are the legions in place?” Draxz asked, his eye meeting Narok’s.

“They attack a day sooner than expected, but the legions are in place.” Narok stood up from the grinder and whistled. A pure blood appeared shortly and stood tall with a fist to his chest.

“Sound the horns, battle formations.” Narok said sheathing his broad swords. “Teeru, you have the honor of spilling first blood, Duudra will protect your right flank, and I your left.”

“I want our scouts to keep their eyes open, I want to know if this is just a distraction.” Draxz said shifting his armor.

“It will be done Lord.”

When the sun dipped below the horizon, the wasteland was plunged into darkness. Eerie silence mixed with only the excited breaths of the wolf legion. Their hearts pumped as grips on weapons shifted slightly. Teeru paced along the front line, too excited to stand still. His legion stood with grins, knowing soon they will be covered in blood, doing what they loved, what they were born to do. It was a glorious way to die.

Their eyes adjusted quickly, and the darkness faded, their vision pierced the darkness only muting the colors of the land.

At last, a chorus of howls broke the silence, causing Teeru to pause. In the distance a constant roar of thunder grew louder. Teeru returned to his place in the line and twirled his two double edged axes as he crouched into a sprinting position, his sharp blades dug deep into the dirt. He looked up and grinned, his sharpened horns pointing toward the thunder. His legion assumed the same stance, forming a shield wall of horns, preparing themselves to skewer the first wave. It was their favorite part, and a tactic only the wolf legion used. The shower of fresh blood to feed their blood lust was intoxicating and more full filling than a kill with metal.

If they die from their first opponent, so be it.

“Uuk-rahh!” Teeru shouted, his muscles tensing as the sea of brown lycan appeared.

“Uuk-rahh!” Thousands shouted in unison as the dark sea collided with the horned wall.

Howls of death replaced the thunder as the mindless lycan horde ran full speed into the horns. The second wave without hesitation, used the bodies of their dead to catapult themselves deeper into the minotaur legion. The initial push of the lycan overwhelmed Teeru’s legion, sending pure bloods to the ground as the heavy beasts continued to use the crouched pure bloods as springboards, to clear the first rows of the horn wall.

“Forward!” Teeru shouted, his orders quickly spreading along the line.

“Uuk-rahh!” As one the first line surged up from their crouched stance, their weapons ripping from the dirt. Blood streaked down their faces, stinging their eyes as their first kill stayed on their horns. With a practiced movement, Teeru used the heads of his axes to push the dead lycan off his horns and as it fell, sharp white teeth filled his vision. A sharp claw found his arm, but his horn tip perfectly aimed slashed the throat of his attacker, spraying him with blood. With a deep roaring laughter Teeru surged forward, his axe blade biting deep into the next lycan. His movements were graceful and precise. As each new lycan searching for an opening found the blade of his double-edged axes or horns, his legion stepped forward as he did, leaving the injured nipping at their legs for the pure blood behind them to kill.

“Arges, to me.” The pure blood behind Teeru placed his hand on his back and with one last kill, Teeru spun his body as Arges blades thrusted forward killing the next brown haired lycan that tried to fill the void Teeru left. The first line followed Teeru’s lead, as fresh pure bloods surged forward fueling their need to kill, replacing the blood-soaked shield wall. Teeru jogged along the line of pure bloods stepping over fallen dead lycan that found their way deeper into the lines.

A horn blew from Duudra’s legion and Teeru glanced over to see lycan pushing deep into his line, almost collapsing the formation completely. Teeru watched the horde being led by a larger black haired lycan. Teeru squinted his eyes trying to get a better look as blades sparked off its body.

“Armored lycan?” Teeru said to himself. He took a deep breath and pointed as the horn sounded again.

“Regiments, seven, eight.” Teeru took a breath. “With me.” Teeru with his regiment moved to secure the weakened line. As he moved closer, the armored Lycan matched the height of the purebloods, and its claws sliced through the arms and legs of the wolf legion. Teeru watched a large pure blood charge the armored lycan, horns aimed for its chest. With speed Teeru could not register the lycan stopped the pureblood in its tracks, gripping its horns. With a quick movement the lycan moved its arms and the horns broke under the force. As quickly as the horns were torn off, they were thrusted into the armored chest of the pureblood. The brown sea of lycan pushed around the black monster as the wolf legion paused unsure of how to deal with the new threat. Quickly the witnesses were killed by the horde. Teeru studied the creature as a pure blood was separated from the legion. The black beast singled it out immediately and disarmed him quickly. Lycan by the monster’s side fell on the helpless soldier and began to drag him away from the battle field, his feet kicking at the dirt as the black monster turned and followed them out of the battle, and faded away into the sea of brown.

Teeru pried his eyes from where the creature disappeared to and moved to reinforce the collapsed line. As blood spilled, the horde backed away and only a few stayed to keep the wolf legion occupied while the rest disappeared into the darkness. Teeru took a deep breath and surveyed the devastation of the first attack. They won the battle, and their losses were minimal from the look of it. He frowned thinking of the armored lycan that stood above all the others.

Why have we never encountered that before? Teeru thought grinning, his heart pumping with excitement.

Now that would be a fun fight!

~

The armored, black hair lycan lead its new prisoner deep into the woods, wolves snapping and yipping in the minotaur’s direction to keep it moving. At last they stopped and the armored lycan stopped and faced the minotaur.

“Kneel before Lykos, bull.” He said with venom in his voice. The minotaur spit at his feet and with one swift movement, sharp claws slashed at the minotaur’s muzzle, sending him sprawling on the ground. It laid on the ground for a moment, his mind catching up to the speed of the attack. When the minotaur lifted his head the armored lycan stood next to a human who stood as tall as the armored captor. His long black hair blew lightly in the breeze and his ornate armor shined even in the dark.

“Tell me bull, why have you come here?” Lykos said in a harmonic voice. The minotaur stood and only then realized the armored human was larger than himself. It stepped back feeling fear slip in. He gritted his teeth and pushed it away.

“Pathetic human, hiding behind wolves. I will not answer you.” He said locking the fear away in defiance.

“I am no human.” Lykos said looking down at the bloodied bull.

The minotaur grunted and spit again, this time the taste of iron left its mouth.

“A beast you are, so a beast I will treat you.”

Moving quicker than the minotaur, Lykos grabbed its horns and twisted, making its body follow. As the bull faced the ground, Lykos pulled up with his right hand while his left hand pushed down hard. With a loud crack and ripping of flesh the horn came loose. The bull roared in agony and before the roar ended, Lykos speared its side with its own horn. The agonizing roar continued and Lykos stood up, and stepped back to watch the bull roll over.

“Did you find your answer beast? Or shall I continue?”

The minotaur looked down at his bloody side and removed the horn with a grunt of pain. Holding it in his hand, his own blood covering his horn he looked up to Lykos. With all his will the minotaur stood up to face his attacker.

“We have come to purge these lands of mindless lycan that has festered for too long.” The minotaur grinned and charged; his bloody horn aimed for Lykos’ heart.

He never reached his destination, as he felt the sharp object in his gut. It was not a great death, but a good one he thought as he felt the coldness creep through his body. He fell to his knees and smiled taking his last breath.

The armored Lycan removed his blade from the bull’s body and wiped it clean with a cloth before sheathing it on his hip.

“Sul, call back the fodder. They will regroup and will attack from another angle.” Lykos said looking down at the dead bull.

With a nod Sul let out a long deep howl and then looked back to Lykos.

“Have you seen Aύok’s fodder?” Lykos asked watching his horde regrouping in the distance.

“I have not, maybe he is waiting for our attack to cease.”

“Maybe...” Lykos said thoughtfully watching over his gathering horde.

What are you planning brother? Can you even still hear me, I have not heard you in weeks. Lykos sent his thoughts with the wind to reach his brother, knowing he would not hear his brothers voice answer.